Nuclear submarine INS Arihant completes first deterrence patrol

India's first indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant has successfully completed its first deterrence patrol.

• The development signifies that the underwater warship has completed its maiden long-range mission with live nuclear-tipped missiles.
• During deterrence patrol, a nuclear submarine carries nuclear missiles on board, where command and control protocols for its operations are fully tested by its crew.
• The term deterrence patrol is meant to deter an adversary from launching a first nuclear-strike since SSBN (Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear) can launch retaliatory strike within minutes.
• With this, India completed its survivable nuclear triad by adding maritime strike capability to land and air-based delivery platforms for nuclear weapons.
• It makes India the sixth country- after US, Russia, UK, France and China to have a fully operational nuclear triad.

About INS Arihant:

• INS Arihant is India's first indigenously-designed, developed and manufactured nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, and three more such submarines are reportedly under various stages of construction.
• It was designed in the 1990s and its development project was officially acknowledged in 1998.
• Its design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarine.
• It was launched in 2009 and its nuclear reactor went critical in 2013 and it was commissioned in 2016.
• It is a strategic asset developed for over two decades with Russia's help under Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) programme, which comes directly under Nuclear Command Authority headed by the Prime Minister.
• INS Arihant is 6,000-tonne submarine with length of 110 metres and breadth of 11 metres.
• It is powered by 83 MW pressurised light water nuclear reactor with enriched uranium fuel.
• It can carry 12 Sagarika K 15 submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) having range of over 700 km.
• As it powered by a nuclear reactor it can function submerged for months without having to surface.
• This feature allows it to travel further and with greater stealth capability.
• It assures second strike capability to India i.e. capability to strike back after being hit by a nuclear weapons first.
• In case of India, second strike capability is important as it had committed to 'No-First-Use' policy as part of its nuclear doctrine.

Nuclear triad capability of India:

• India is sixth Nation in the world (after US, Russia, France, China and UK) to possess Nuclear Triad.
• It means that India is capable of delivering nuclear weapons by aircraft, land based ballistic missiles and submarine launched missiles.
• India Army has a strong arsenal of land based ICBMs (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles).
• It includes Agni series, Prithvi series, Prahar Missile, Shaurya Missile, supersonic Brahmos and subsonic Nirbhay missiles.
• Indian Airforce (IAF) operates Jaguar aircrafts which are designed for deep penetration strike and can carry nuclear bombs.
• Besides, IAF also has SU 30 MKI and Rafale aircrafts which can also be used to deliver nuclear weapons.
• Indian Navy now has its own nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Question:

Q. India's which first indigenous nuclear submarine has successfully completed its first deterrence patrol?
a. INS Swatantra
b. INS Arihant
c. INS Vedant
d. None of the above